Digital consumption alienation among Chinese college students: an AISAS framework

Digital platforms increasingly shape students’ consumption needs and behaviors, raising growing concerns about digital consumption alienation. Little is known about how it develops across the consumer journey. Guided by the Attention–Interest–Search–Action–Share (AISAS) model, this study examines five stage-related predictors of digital consumption alienation among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional survey of undergraduates yielded 965 valid responses. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to estimate predictive relationships, while necessary condition analysis (NCA) examined necessary conditions and bottleneck thresholds. The results show that information sensitivity, personalized expectation, decision disorientation, overconsumption behavior, and purchase posting are positively related to digital consumption alienation. Overconsumption behavior and decision disorientation exhibit the largest predictive and necessity effects, whereas the remaining predictors show comparatively small effects. This study advances consumption alienation theory in digital contexts and offers practical implications for fostering healthier digital consumption among college students.